Midterm Review of a Forest Restoration Initiative to Enhance Ecosystem Services in High-Altitude Ecosystems in Afghanistan.

What We Did: As evaluation specialists, Interamna was tapped to provide an independent assessment of the project’s contribution to disaster and community resilience and the international community’s ability to address critical unforeseen humanitarian needs in a timely and effective manner. The evaluation identified strengths and weaknesses of the implementation modalities and progress towards outcomes, and provided specific recommendations regarding areas that need to be strengthened, as well information on progress made since the project’s inception phase. The midterm review also revamped both the Project Results Framework and associated indicators, as well as its Theory of Change to inform decision-making and the efficient allocation of resources. Interamna also developed a funding proposal for a follow-up phase of the FREESIA project, which secured financial resources from the government of the Republic of Korea.

‍Objective: The Forest Restoration for Enhanced Ecosystem Services Functioning in Afghanistan project aims to restore degraded forest ecosystems and enhance their services in Afghanistan. The project focuses on establishing community-based forest management systems, improving the capacity of local communities and stakeholders to manage forest resources sustainably, and promoting the use of non-timber forest products as an alternative livelihood for local communities. The ultimate objective is to improve the resilience of ecosystems and communities to climate change and reduce their vulnerability to natural disasters, while also promoting biodiversity conservation and sustainable development. The project is supported by the Afghan government, international organizations, and local communities.